A quick check on whats up in General Assembly with regard to marriage....
You can get a license plate announcing your views...(I'm told all proposed license plate templates must be passed by the General Assembly, so there is nothing special about this particular plate)
License plates, special; issuance to supporters of traditional marriage.
Summary as introduced:Special license plates; supporters of traditional marriage. Authorizes the issuance of special license plates to supporters of traditional marriage. The design of the plates is to include the legend: TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE and two interlocked golden wedding bands over a red heart. House Bill 1660
Full Text
Constitutional amendment; marriage may exist only between a man and woman (first reference).
Summary as introduced:Constitutional amendment (first resolution); marriage. Provides that marriage "is the legal union of one man and one woman as husband and wife" and that "no other combination of persons may be licensed to marry." The proposed amendment prohibits the creation, recognition, or enforcement of imitations of marriage. However, a right, privilege, or obligation of marriage may be conferred by statute on an unmarried person. House Joint Resolution 584
Full Text
Elizabeth addresses the above joint resolution on her blog. It all raises an interesting question and is worth watching, they want to repeal the law but change the Virginia Constitution, what do you think about that???
4 comments:
I actually think that it's different groups trying to repeal the bill that was passed last year and to pass the constitutional amendment. So they're not as schizo as you're suggesting...
I don't think they are schizo, I think its interesting they want it in the Va. Constitution to remove it from state judicial review, they are making it stronger. The Washington Post had an article on this in the Jan.12 Metro section.
My bad on the repeal, it looks like the bill went to committee late last year and so far has not been filed for this session -- I'm still learning about all this, I don't fully understand the summary page.
The new version of the bill to repeal the DOMA law is HB1633:
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?051+sum+HB1633
It doesn't have much chance of going anywhere, but it's a nice thought.
There's also a new bill being proposed (by Chap Petersen, who is running for Lt. Governor), HB2490 that would clarify that the DOMA law "shall not abridge the right of any person to enter into a lawful contract that pertains to the ownership or devising of joint property, the maintenance of personal health, or the protection of private assets." (Which it currently does, in my non-legal opinion)
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?051+sum+HB2490
Thanks, Elizabeth, I hadn't seen that. Politics is very interesting, this is my first session of paying much attention to it. I find some of the bills a bit frightening. Should be an interesting session.
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